USM hoping to finish strong

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Dec. 31, 2003
The University of Southern Mississippi's sixth appearance in a bowl game in the last seven years was anything but a forgone conclusion at the start of the 2003 season.
The Golden Eagles, who will take on the No. 25-ranked Utah Utes at 2:30 p.m. today in the AXA Liberty Bowl, fell to California's blitzkrieg attack in the first game of year 34-2 certainly didn't look like the team that finished the season on a six-game undefeated streak.
USM went up and down the next five games on its schedule after returning from the California trip.
The Eagles picked up wins over Conference USA foes University of Alabama at Birmingham and Memphis, but they faltered again in a home game against Nebraska.
The Cornhuskers came into M.M. Roberts Stadium and walloped the Eagles 38-14, but USM rebounded the following game with a 22-20 road win over Cincinnati.
After pushing their record to 3-2 for the season, the Eagles suffered another setback on the road against Alabama.
The Crimson Tide, playing without starting quarterback Brodie Croyle, kept the ball on the ground for nearly every offensive play in a 17-3 win at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
But things changed for the Eagles in the team's off week following the loss to Alabama.
While the Eagles' defense had played fairly well in the first six games, allowing 334.3 yards and 21.2 points per game, the offense seemed down right lost at times.
USM scored just 81 points in the first half of the season, and the team was only gaining an average of 279.7 yards per game.
While USM head coach Jeff Bower's exact wording of the challenge he laid out for the offense may never be known, whatever the coach said worked, especially for Almond.
The sophomore quarterback, who completed just 39 percent of his passes with no touchdowns and two interceptions in the first six games, hit rock bottom against Nebraska.
Almond went 4-for-24 passing against the Cornhuskers for just 68 yards with two picks, and he lost the starting job, which he got because of a concussion that sideline season opening quarterback Micky D'Angelo, to freshman Damion Carter.
Almond was given a second chance against South Florida on Oct. 25, as he started USM's first game coming off the break.
The second-year quarterback hit Marvin Young for an 80-yard touchdown to start the game against South Florida, and he finished the contest with 175 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Almond wrapped up the last six games of the year completing 57 percent of his throws, for 1,265 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions.
The Eagles offense followed suit with their quarterback.
USM racked up 212 points in the final six games, a plus-131 turn around, averaged 388.8 yards per game to close out the season, a plus-109.1 turn around, and a running game emerged for the Eagles.
Anthony Harris was moved from fullback, where he gained nine yards over the first six games, to running back at the start of the second half.
The sophomore back notched 592 yards and seven touchdowns over the final six games, and the Eagles boosted their rushing average from 92.7 yards per game to 160.3, a plus-67.6 turn around, to close the season.
Now, the Eagles will roll into a showdown with nationally ranked Utah in a nationally televised game on ESPN today.
A win in its third appearance in the Liberty Bowl, USM won its first two games in Memphis, would be the perfect ending to a season that saw the program capture its first conference title since 1999.